“Are you comfortable?” he asks, pausing for a second and hoisting me a little higher.
“Yeah, I'm good.” I can feel the pitch in my voice change. “Are you comfortable? I can walk if I'm getting too heavy for you.”
“Heavy? You're not heavy. I could climb a mountain with you on my back.”
“I doubt that.”
“Want to try?”
Laughing, I say, “No, I'm good. I don't want to fall to my death because you need to prove yourself.”
“I'd never drop you.” He looks back at me, his eyes serious. “Not even on a mountain.” He licks his lips, his lids lowering to half-mast. “I might not be perfect, but I do what's right.”
“I can tell you try at least.”
“I'll take that. My father always said that people can judge you for anything. So, if you're going to be judged, be judged for what you do right, not what you do wrong.”
“That's good advice. My father always said a horse only shits one way, but people find ways to shit all over everything.”
“Your dad's a wise man. He's right, people can just be shitty.”
I tighten my arms around him and rest my chin in the crook of his neck. “Thank you for this,” I say. “Not just for carrying me, but for taking me around the city too.”
“No problem. We can do this again if you want. I'd love to take you to Quincy Market, but I have to work tomorrow for a few hours. I'm free this weekend though.”
“I might take you up on that.”
“Here we are, back home,” he says.
He starts to set me down, but I grip him harder. “We're still outside, you aren't putting me down just yet, are you?”
His fingers slip up my calves and he smiles at the challenge. “Not a chance in hell.”
I reach out and pull the door open for us. Dash starts for the elevator, and I kick him with my heel.
“I see a mountain. Don't you?”
He smiles back at me, giving me another good hoist up on his back, and secures his hands around my legs. “Hold on tight.”
My hands clasp together, arms as tight as I can get around him. Dash starts up the stairs. I'm laughing as he grunts and groans like he's struggling with each step. As he reaches the second-floor landing, he roars like a lion and takes off in a sprint.
We reach our floor, and he's breathing heavy. “Got the key?” he asks.
“No, Betty was supposed to have it for me.”
“Get mine. It's in my front right pocket.”
I stretch my arm down and into his pocket. He's watching me through the corner of his eye with a slight smirk on his face. My fingers dig deeper, feeling way down into the bottom corner. The key pokes my finger, and as I grab it, I feel something else bump against my fingertips.
Dash chuckles. “Don't worry, I won't bite.” He veers his stare and bites his bottom lip. “Unless you ask me to.”
My cheeks blush and I bury my face in his shoulder. “You're terrible.”
“I'm sorry, I can't help it. There's a beautiful woman wrapped around me.”
He turns slightly so I can unlock the door. I push it open, and he carries me inside. The door closes behind us, sealing me inside with this god of a man. He sets me down and turns around to face me.
We're almost nose to nose as he looks down at me. His hands are still on my hips, fingers softly pressing in deeper. He swirls his thumbs in small circles, and just looks at me. There's something about the way he's looking at me that makes my heart gallop in my chest.
It's his eyes. The depth, the color, the lure of attraction. Everything inside me is screaming with desire.
He licks his lips, lowering his face a hair closer to mine. I want to kiss him. The temptation is so strong I lick my lips reflexively, anticipating what's coming next. I suck my bottom lip into my mouth and chew the inside of my cheek.
His eyes dance between mine like a flame in the wind. His pupils grow so wide I can see myself inside them. Dash lowers his face a little more. I hold my breath.
He exhales, his warm breath cascading across my cheeks and down over my neck. The light stubble on his jaw casts a shadow over his face, making his cheekbones pop and his eyes darken.
Our lips are almost touching. He's right here. Oh my god, he's too close! No, Anna! No!
It's like my brain snapped its thumbs to wake me up from this trance he's putting me in. “Okay,” I say quickly, taking a long step to the side to put space between us. “Good night.” I swivel on my heels, and speed walk to my room.
I leave him standing in the living room. Alone. His head still hanging forward. Lips still primed and ready. Probably warm and wet and delicious, but I can't do this.